Generally, a flat panel display has several function buttons on the front thereof, for controlling characteristics of images shown on a screen of the flat panel display such as luminance and contrast ratio.
FIG. 8 is an exploded, isometric view of a typical flat panel display. FIG. 9 is an assembled view of the flat panel display. The flat panel display 1 has a front housing part 12, a rear housing part (not shown), a display panel (not shown), a button module 155, and a button circuit board 13. The display panel is generally secured between and by the front housing part 12 and the rear housing part. The button circuit board 13 and the button module 155 are secured on the front housing part 12.
The front housing part 12 has a flange 15 at a lower section thereof. A plurality of button through holes 157 is provided in the flange 15 and a plurality of fixing portions 153 is provided at an inner surface 151 of the flange 15.
The button module 155 is sandwiched between the front housing part 12 and the button circuit board 13. The button module 155 has an elastic arm 1551 and several function buttons 1553, and a power button 1555. The elastic arm 1551 has a main body 1552, and a plurality of parallel connecting branches 1554 extending from the main body 1552. The main body 1552 has a plurality of fixing holes 1557, which correspond to the fixing portions 153. The function buttons 1553 and the power button 1555 are provided at the plurality of connecting branches 1554 respectively. Each button 1553, 1555 has a positioning end 1558 and a pressing end 1556 extend outward from the positioning end 1558. The pressing end 1556 is provided for a user to press and thereby input a corresponding controlling signal. The positioning end 1558 has a contacting piece 1560, which contacts the button circuit board 13 when the pressing end 1556 is pressed.
The function buttons 1553 and the power button 1555 are arranged in positions corresponding to the button through holes 157, and the pressing ends 1556 of the buttons 1553, 1555 penetrate through the button through holes 157 once the flat display panel 1 is assembled. In addition, because the positioning end 1558 is larger than the pressing end 1556, the function buttons 1553 and the power button 1555 cannot accidentally fall out through the button through holes 157. The button module 155 is electrically connected to a circuit board (not shown) of the display panel via a connecting wire (not shown). The user can control the display characteristics of the flat panel display 1 by operating the function buttons 1553.
To enable proper operation of the function buttons 1553 and the power button 1555 on the flange 15, the button through holes 157 are sized slightly larger than the corresponding pressing ends 156 of the function buttons 1553 and the power button 1555. In addition, for preventing the function buttons 1553 and the power button 1555 from sliding out too far through the button through holes 157, the positioning ends 1558 are sized larger than the corresponding button through holes 157. Further, the pressing ends 1556 of the buttons 1553, 1556 need to have a certain minimum size (including a minimum height) in order that they can be readily pushed by a user's finger. The button through hole 157 necessarily has to be bounded at top and bottom ends by portions of the flange 15 in order to keep the power button 1555 in position. This means that the flange 15 effectively has a certain minimum height that cannot be reduced. Similarly, the button module 115 needs the corresponding positioning ends 1558 in order to prevent the power button 1555 sliding out too far through the corresponding button through hole 157. This means that the flange 15 effectively has a certain minimum height that cannot be reduced.
Overall, the size of the flange 15 and the size of the button module 155 are necessarily restricted to certain large sizes, in order to accommodate the function buttons 1553 and the power button 1555. This means the flat panel display 1 is not as compact as some users might like it to be.
Accordingly, what is needed is a flat panel display that is compact.